Heckman Discusses Investing in Early Childhood Education at Aspen Ideas

Professor James Heckman shared recent research on investing in early childhood education at the Aspen Ideas Festival in June. Heckman, who spoke on the Aspen, CO panel alongside entrepreneur Jackie Bezos, discussed ideas for applying his research to social policy.

“What I want to argue today is that successful programs, successful interventions…promote social mobility,” he said. He noted that a major obstacle for lifting families out of poverty is the diminished social mobility of low-income children. “We need to think about the family and supporting the family.”

Professor Heckman provided evidence from his work showing that childcare and child development are integrally related, noting that low quality childcare can have harmful effects.

You can listen to the panel, titled “The ROI That Matters: Investing in Kids and Families to Build a New Economy” below.

Play “The ROI That Matters: Investing in Kids and Families to Build a New Economy”